Without You
by xxdeath.by.chocolatexx
Summary: She let out a long hiss and slid the blade down her arm, watching the blood blossom up from her skin. The red lines slowly turned to black, and her entire vision blurred, then darkened. Sinking down against the wall, Mimi blacked out completely.
1. Chapter 1

"I hate you!" she screamed, slamming the door and locking herself into the bathroom. She opened drawers frantically, looking for the only thing that brought her back to reality. Finding it, she let out a long hiss and slid the blade down her arm, watching the blood blossom up from her skin. The red lines slowly turned to black, and her entire vision blurred, then darkened. Sinking down against the wall, Mimi blacked out completely. And that was how Roger found her the next morning.

Mimi awoke in a hospital bed, wondering where she was. Then the memories of yesterday's fight flooded back to her, and she tried to get out of bed to go make up with Roger. But as soon as she lifted her head, she felt weak and dizzy, so she lay back down and went to sleep.

Meanwhile, Roger was having a conversation with the doctor.

"Will she be alright?" he asked.

"Yes, she will regain her strength soon. But you should know, she has not been well. We discovered scars all the way down her arms. Do you know how long this has been happening, or why?" the doctor said.

"I had no idea that she would harm herself like this, or why she felt the need to. All I know is that when she did it, we had just fought." Roger was worried about his wife. They had been married for three years, but they still had fights every once in a while. These were normal fights though, ones that every couple went through. He couldn't understand why she was so affected by them.

Mimi awoke again, and this time she knew why she had blacked out in the first place. She found that she could sit up in bed, which was obviously a good sign. Then she saw that the hospital gown did not cover her scars. She hurriedly ripped some pieces of the blanket, and wrapped them around her arms. The last thing she needed was for Roger to know she was hurting herself, after she had sworn against harming herself. She had been talking about drugs when she swore, but she knew now that it extended further.

When Roger got back home, the first thing he saw on the table was that he hadn't paid the electric bill. That was the last thing on his mind right now. He was remembering the conversation he had with Mimi, before they were even married. She had sworn she wouldn't harm herself, and look at this! She had sworn! He couldn't believe she had gone against her word. Roger was so confused. He felt a flood of emotions, ready to break the dam he had built against them. He was mad at Mimi for breaking her promise to him, and making him suffer like this. He was mad at himself for not knowing or bothering to find out. He was especially concerned, and worried about his wife. The only thing he knew was that no matter what he was feeling, he loved Mimi with all his heart, regardless of what she had done.

She had to get out of the hospital to talk to Roger. No, she wouldn't talk to Roger. Roger was going to leave her. He loved so tenderly, but had a temper like fire. There was no question of his anger at her. He was going to leave her, and that was that. She would run away, stealing her things from the house in the night, and then start over. The painful stab of her love for Roger would just have to be ignored. That was the only thing to do.

Roger knew that Mimi made rash decisions. He also knew that every time she looked at the scars on her wrists and arms, she would remember how he had been so cruel, first fighting with her so much that she was forced to harm herself, and then not bothering to take care of her, even though the doctor had said to go home. Mimi was going to be angry at Roger, and she was going to leave him. That much he knew for sure. He knew what to do. He would leave the house, taking his things and making a new living, somewhere else. He loved Mimi, and always would, but could not deal with the pain of her not loving him back. Picking up his guitar, he began to strum, pouring his heart into the song that flowed from his lips.

_Without you_

_The ground thaws_

_The rain falls_

_The grass grows_

_Without you_

_The seeds root_

_The flowers bloom_

_The children play_

_The stars gleam_

_The poets dream_

_The eagles fly_

_Without you_

_The earth turns_

_The sun burns_

_But I die_

_Without you_

Lying in her hospital bed, Mimi looked up at the ceiling, wondering why it had come to this. Closing her eyes, she softly began to sing.

_Without you _

_The breeze warms_

_The girl smiles_

_The cloud moves_

_Without you, the tides change_

_The boys run_

_The oceans crash_

_The crowds roar_

_The days soar_

_The babies cry_

_Without you_

_The moon glows_

_The river flows_

_But I die_

_Without you_

Roger felt tears start to escape out of his eyes, and did nothing to stop them. Soon the tears were silently streaming down his face, but he continued to sing in a slightly wavering voice.

_The world revives_

_Colors renew_

_But I know blue_

_Only blue_

_Lonely blue_

_Within me blue_

_Without you_

Mimi turned over, singing into the pillow, her voice muffled. Soon the pillow was wet with her tears, and she realized that some of her cuts had reopened, mixing blood with salty tears that stung her cheeks. She cursed herself for ruining everything. She cursed herself for everything she had done. But still she sang.

_Without you _

_The hand gropes_

_The ear hears_

_The pulse beats_

_Without you_

_The eyes gaze_

_The legs walk_

_The lungs breathe_

_The mind churns_

_The heart yearns_

_The tears dry_

_Without you_

_Life goes on_

_But I'm gone_

'_Cuz I die_

_Without you_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N** The story and characters don't belong to me blah blah blah

After he had quickly thrown everything he owned into a suitcase, Roger stepped outside into the pouring rain. He began walking down the street, and almost immediately realized he had left his guitar behind. He ran back to the house, opened the door, only to discover Mimi standing there with another suitcase, looking at the loft one last time.

"What are you doing here?!" they both shouted at the same time. Then they quickly glanced down at each other's suitcases, and realized what was happening. Mimi turned away to hide the tears running down her cheeks. She had been right. Roger was leaving her.

Roger stared at Mimi, then he realized he was right. Mimi didn't trust him anymore. She was running away. He grabbed his guitar, then turned and opened the door.

"Can I ask you a question before you go?" Mimi said, her tears choking her voice.

"Yeah, whatever," Roger didn't care anymore. It would have been better if he hadn't existed, better than seeing her in this pain.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you leaving? Don't I matter?" She could barely speak now, she was sobbing so hard.

Instead of turning and answering, Roger walked right out the door, closing it tightly behind him. Why did he seem to ruin everyone's lives? First it was April. He knew why she had slit her wrists, but everything came back to him. She hadn't wanted to hurt him. Then there was Mark. He had moved out as soon as Roger had married Mimi. He said he didn't want to be an obstacle for them. But Roger knew that it was more than that. No matter how much Mark denied it, he had feelings for Roger. His marriage would have crushed all of Mark's wildest hopes, his deepest dreams. But now even his marriage to the love of his life was ruined. His life was completely and totally shattered.

By this time Mimi had sobbed herself to sleep, right there on the hard floor of the loft. When she woke up, she was sore all over, and still crying. She swallowed hard, and then forced herself to look at her face in the mirror, something she had been scared to do for three months, since she had began cutting herself. She gasped, because she saw something there that was not her face. It was her, but it was a broken soul, not the whole one she had thought was hers. She reached for the blade, then drew her hand back, remembering what it had done to her. She reached again, picked it up, and then threw it against her own broken face staring back at her. The mirror shattered into a thousand pieces, and she knew that she would have to start over.

Roger kept walking, not glancing once back at the direction of the loft. He broke into a run, feeling the rain beating against his face, each drop feeling like fire, burning his face. He ran for what seemed like ages, not knowing or caring how far or where he was going. Finally, his body gave out and he collapsed on the sidewalk, losing consciousness immediately.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N **I don't own anything blah blah blah

When he awoke, he was no longer in the rain. Instead, he was sprawled across a couch in a house where they could obviously afford to pay for heating. Looking around, he saw why. There were antiques everywhere, and the entire floor was marble. He rubbed his eyes, and sat up. Just as he was standing up to leave, a woman walked into the room.

"Oh, so you're finally awake. You've been out all afternoon."

"What the hell? What are you thinking? I didn't need to be saved, or whatever. I was fine." Saying this, Roger stood up, only to sit back down again. His head was spinning, and reaching up to feel his head, felt dried blood.

"Whatever you say. Well, there is some food in the kitchen, I won't bring it to you since you so obviously are just fine. You can leave whenever you want." Roger lay back on the couch, and closed his eyes again, immediately drifting to sleep.

Mimi was lost. She was still sitting in the loft on the couch, but she was staring off into space, not blinking once. She wasn't thinking about anything, she just kept staring into space. It had been almost 2 days since she had watched Roger leave. It had all happened in slow motion.

But she was sure of one thing. She was going to have start all over again. And perhaps that was a good thing. She and Roger, although mostly happy, hadn't been living the richest lives. Maybe this time she could get a better job, a better life, one that wouldn't be broken. The first thing she had to do was get out of this place that would always hold terrible memories.

Mimi walked out of the loft, and felt the sun shining on her face. Even though the sun's rays were warm, it was bitingly cold outside. She knew exactly where to go. She walked and walked, finally reaching her destination; the Catscratch Club. She walked right in, and straight up to her manager.

"I quit." she said, forcefully.

"You what? You can't quit!" Her manager looked surprised and worried beyond belief.

"Yes I can, and I just did. Have a nice life." Mimi turned on her heel, and walked out of the club.

"Mimi! Wait!" he cried out. "Good luck!"

Thanks, Mimi said in her mind, knowing that what her manager meant was, you're gonna come crying back to me for a job in a few days. But she didn't care, nothing was going to make her go back for her old job. The only reason she had kept it in the first place was so that she could help Roger pay the rent. Now that was gone too. She could feel the salty sting of her tears on her cheeks again.

As she walked down the street, she couldn't help wondering what Roger was doing right now. First she wondered where he was, then she wondered if he was okay, then she made herself not care how he was. This was her life now, and she would just have to take Roger out of it.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N** I don't own anything blah blah blah

Roger had finally eaten some food, so he was thinking straighter than he had been. He was thinking about the lady that he had been helped by. He had seen her a couple times since the first meeting, and each time he realized more and more how beautiful she was. No, that wasn't right. Mimi was the one for him, nobody else. Mimi. The memories came flooding each time he thought of her name. They poured out as salty tears that stung his cheeks. He was in pain. His heart was aching; he could feel it reaching out to her.

It came to him in a jolt. He needed something to numb the pain. Something to take it all away. And he knew exactly what that something was. Standing up, he clacked across the marble floor and opened the polished handle of the door. He walked, his feet and body leading the way. His mind was telling him no, no, don't go back there, but his body needed it. He needed it. He walked all the way till he reached the place. The place where he used to meet him. Meet The Man.

The Man was in his usual spot. Leaning against the wall, subtly waiting for his customers. When he saw Roger, he grinned. One of his regulars, but not for a long time. The Man had almost been convinced that Roger was clean. _Almost_ convinced. He knew that Roger was going to come back sometime. He wasn't strong enough to break away for good. Roger walked straight up to him, and held out his hand. He got exactly what he wanted.

Sitting down right there, Roger slid the needle into his arm, wincing only slightly. Almost immediately, he disappeared into another world. Everything was blank, everything he saw was white. Then he couldn't see at all. He was gone.

Mimi was walking back from the store. Taking long strides, she walked at a pace most people would jog at. Everything was a blur as she walked. She stopped to catch her breath, and looked around. She saw people walking through their lives. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. Suddenly, she saw someone who looked strangely familiar. _Too_ familiar. Roger! Roger was leaning against a wall with his eyes closed. He seemed asleep.

Something wasn't right. Nobody slept like that. Nobody slept without moving at all. Mimi ran over to him, and stopped when she saw the needle sticking out of his arm. She drew in a sharp breath. She ran over and pulled the needle sharply out of his arm. He still didn't open his eyes. She started yelling.

"Someone get over here! I need help! My husband ODed!"

The sad thing was, only one person came over to help. It seemed nobody in the entire Alphabet City cared. But that one person was enough. They both carried Roger over to a car, and got a ride straight to the hospital. Mimi paced outside Roger's room. The doctor came out.

"Ms. Marquez? I have some news for you…"

**A/N** he he, cliffs are my lovers


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N** I hadn't realized how bored I was of disclaimers until I started writing this one

So just for clarification, I DO own the characters and story and everything because I AM Jonathon Larson

"Yes?" Mimi asked anxiously.

"It seems that your husband is going to be okay." Mimi could almost not contain her happiness.

"But, it may be some time before he can do everything he used to." At this point, Mimi really didn't care so much anymore, it was as thought things were finally getting better. Roger was going to be okay, and they were going to be happy together.

"Can I go in and see him?"

"Yes, but I must warn you, he might be a little unclear of where he is, or who you are. It will take him a while, like I said earlier, to fully recover."

Mimi rushed into the room where Roger was, tubes covering almost every inch of his body. There was no doubting it, Roger's eyes seemed to brighten and clear as soon as he saw Mimi. His voice seemed to creak as he spoke to her, but they both agreed to put everything that had happened behind them. There was nothing between them now; they were going to be happy.

Roger recovered faster than expected, and was sent back to the loft, where Mimi cared for him every day. Now that Mimi had quit her job at the Catscratch, they were almost broke, and it became clear that Mimi had to get another job. She finally got a job as a waitress in a café down the street.

Mimi was at work, serving the few people who came to the Café Royale. There was a man sitting in the corner, his face dark and stormy. Mimi had been avoiding that corner, hoping someone else would take his order, but it became evident that everyone else seemed to have disappeared. She walked over to the corner, glancing around the café.

"Would you like anything?" she asked him.

"Of course."

She waited for him to say what. When he didn't answer, she asked him.

"Meet me around back when your shift is over, and I'll tell you. And remember, this is our little secret. Don't take my order to the chef."

Mimi saw where this was going. She turned on her heel and started to walk away, but he grabbed her wrist painfully and pulled her back.

"Girl! Did you hear me? That's my ­_order_!"

She pulled away and ran back to the kitchen, where she sat down, gasping. She had experienced things like this at the Catscratch Club, and she knew to avoid people like this. She hung up her uniform, and walked out the back door, trying to avoid the man sitting in front.

She knew immediately that she had made a mistake. He was standing there, waiting for her. 

"So you came….I knew you would." She started to run, but he grabbed her around her waist.

"Now now, I asked you politely, and you came. So you know what happens now, don't you?"

"Roger! Somebody! Help!"

**A/N** you know how much I like cliffs…well here is another one!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N **So I know that all my chapters so far have been pretty short…well guess what? They are still going to be. You know why? Because I figured, if I write long chapters, I'll have less of them. And if I write shorter chapters, there will be more. And I know exactly how much you all love waiting for another chapter, so I thought I would let you have that joy.

_I remember, I remember,  
__Desperation!  
__Devastation!  
__All I truly know  
__All that I know  
_"_Rabbits are Roadkill on Route 37" AFI_

Mark had not seen Roger or Mimi for three years, ever since he had moved out of the loft, not wanting to be an obstacle in their happy lives. So he had moved into a small apartment, which he could afford thanks to his new, well-paying job.

So now he had decided to visit, just to see how they were doing. As he walked down the streets of Alphabet City, he realized that it actually felt good to be back here. He took in all the familiar sights and smells, the sounds of shootings and screams, usually just annoying, but now it felt like home.

He ignored the people huddled around the street, reaching up to him with pain-filled eyes. Suddenly, somebody lying across the sidewalk caught his eye. The tiny frame, the delicate build, the long, dancer's legs, he knew that person. He walked over, and it turned into a run as he realized who he was seeing.

Mimi was unconscious; her clothes on inside out, and a huge bruise could be seen across her cheek. It was clear what had happened to her. Mark picked her up carefully and carried her all the way back to the loft.

As soon as he opened the door, Roger got up from his light sleep on the couch. He knew something was wrong as soon as he saw Mark carrying Mimi with a worried look on his face.

"What happened to her?" Roger asked. Mark gave him a look, and carried Mimi straight to the bedroom and put her down.

Roger followed, and realized immediately what must have happened.

"Who was it? Who did it? Who hurt my baby? I'll kill that bastard!" Roger went straight to the door, but Mark just sighed and followed him.

"Roger, we don't even know who it was. How are you planning to find him?" Roger realized Mark was right, and sat back down on the couch. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"We are going to wait till she wakes up. Then we'll call the police. At least we can get a description from her." Mark sat down next to Roger and closed his eyes as well. Like that, they both fell asleep, disturbed sleep, with violent dreams.

_I must have dreamed a thousand dreams  
__Been haunted by a million screams  
__I can hear the marching feet  
__Moving into the street_

_Did you read the news today  
__They say that danger's gone away  
__But I can see the fire's still alight  
__Burning into the night  
__- "Land of Confusion" Disturbed_

**_A/N _**He he, i love putting songs into fics, and i actually found some that fit this time...woo!


	7. Chapter 7

**_Insert disclaimer here_**

_I watch the stars as they fall from the sky_

_I held a falling star and it wept for me_

_Dying_

_I feel the falling stars encircle me_

_Now as they cry…_

_- Death of Seasons – AFI_

When Mimi woke up, she realized she was back in the loft. She tried to get up, but her legs were shaky. She immediately realized what had happened.

Roger woke up to find Mark, of all things, cooking. He then realized that he hadn't even said a proper hello to his friend.

"So Mark, how's it…um…going?" Mark turned and stared. He thought about the million that he could say about what had happened to him after his rejection from the loft. Then he decided against it, thinking of what Roger had been through.

"I'm good…found an apartment a little while ago, been living with my…um…girlfriend."

"You're girlfriend! Wow Mark! I'm really happy for you…" Mimi walked shakily through the door.

"Hey guys, had a good talk?" Mark and Roger turned around at the same time.

"Mimi! You're awake!"

"Thank you Captain Obvious…"

"So who did it? We need to get down to the police station right now. Let's go!" Roger grabbed his coat and almost was out the door before Mark and Mimi stopped him.

"Give her some time Roger, we can go down there later." The concern was obvious in Mark's voice.

"Well, see, the thing is, I don't know who did it. I don't know him at all…" Mimi looked like she was about to cry.

Roger got up, and walked out the door. He was going to the cops, it didn't matter if anybody was ready or not.

Mark followed him, deciding that he needed to tell Roger what had really happened to him.

"Roger! I need to talk to you…"

**A/N PLEASE REVIEW! **


	8. Chapter 8

"_Well it would've been, could've been, worse than you would ever know,_

_You told me about nowhere, well it sounds like someplace I'd like to go..." – "Dashboard" by Modest Mouse_

"Roger! I need to talk to you…" Mark ran to catch up with his friend.

_Flashback_

_Mark was sitting in his room, with his camera. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. He opened it, and found Maureen standing in front of him._

"_Pookie, I'm sorry I hurt you! I'm sorry I left! Will you be mine again?" Maureen looked worried and stressed out. _

_Mark found it hard to say no, despite how much Maureen had hurt him before. He had never quite gotten over how much he liked her._

_The next few weeks were hell in Mark's eyes. Maureen would leave every day for an hour, get completely drunk, and come back to the apartment. Mark would dread the minute she returned, how controlling and rough she became. She always craved sex at this time, and she was an animal in all the wrong ways._

_Finally, he decided he couldn't take it anymore. _

"_Out! Maureen, get out of my apartment, and out of my life!"_

_End Flashback_

"That's only the beginning" Mark was struggling, it was obvious. He didn't want to tell Roger his story.

_Flashback_

_Maureen came back many times, until finally he stopped even opening the door for her. But from there, things only went downhill. _

_First of all, he was kicked out of his apartment for not paying the rent. Then, he started living on the streets. _

_His first few days were hell, and it hardly got better. At times, it was worse. Sometimes, his blanket would get stolen right off his body while he was sleeping. _

_He soon lost track of how many days he had spent with gravel digging into his back, clanging a can for coins. He would jump at the sight of a penny. _

_Food was hard to come by, mostly he didn't eat at all. _

_End Flashback_

"That's horrible Mark! But I don't understand why you didn't come back…we would have welcomed you!" Roger was shocked that his friend had suffered so much.

"I was afraid of you. I'll tell you why in a minute, but promise you're not going to get mad at me."

_Flashback_

_Mark needed something to make the realities go away. And one day, he got exactly what he needed. The Man._

_The Man was walking around, looking for victims who would definitely pay up. He saw Mark, and smiled to himself. This was someone who didn't know what to do on the streets._

_It was over seconds after it started. But Mark had gotten his salvation. Those few minutes the needle was pressed into his arm, he had felt truly numb for the first time. _

_After this, Mark began the regular process of going back every week. Every week he'd buy the smack, every week he'd go numb, every week he survived. _

_End Flashback_

"_We talked about nothing which was more than I wanted you to know…."_

_- Modest Mouse "Dashboard"_

**A/N** He he, cliff….what is Roger gonna say? Sorry this chapter took so long to post, but ya know how it is…so even though I'm sorry, deal…seriously


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N** why is it that when I read other people's stories, there are like, 100 reviews, and then I look at mine and there are 15????

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_One can only feel desolate for so long until  
One starts to change into  
Something the mirror doesn't recognize.  
Metamorphosize._

_- "The Crimson" - Atreyu_

Next thing he knew, Mark was slammed up against a wall, Roger's fist holding him there.

"What the hell were you thinking?! Mark, you saw ME through withdrawal! How could you do this?"

"Roger, you said you wouldn't get angry…"

"How can I _not_? You just told me you'd been doing the same thing that got me into all this shit, withdrawal, AIDS, everything!"

"You know what? I shouldn't have told you. I shouldn't have thought you would understand."

Mark pushed Roger away and started walking, but felt a hand grab his jacket and pull him back.

"Excuse me? _I_ wouldn't understand? Tell me now, honestly. Are you still doing drugs Mark? Are you still trying to get away?"

Roger was breathing hard; it was taking all his self-restraint to not punch Mark right now.

"Listen Roger, this is why I came back. I need your help. I need to stop…"

Listening to this story coming from his friend was infuriating, especially since withdrawal was an experience he had tried so hard to forget.

"I…I need some time to think Mark. You have to understand. This is something I want to forget, not something I want to see every morning."

Roger had let go of Mark, and was staring at the ground.

He felt horrible for saying what he did, Mark was asking him for help.

He shouldn't have any second thoughts about this. Mark was his _best friend_.

Continuing to stare at the ground, Mark opened his mouth and closed it again.

That was as good as it was going to get for now.

He would just have to wait and hope Roger would help him out.

He really didn't have any doubts about Roger being a good friend and agreeing, but he knew he was in for a long suffering.

He had seen Roger go through withdrawal, and he knew how painful it was.

Watching Mark staring at the Mark was making Roger feel worse and worse. Finally, he gave in to pressure.

"You know what Mark, I'm done thinking. I'll help you out. I'm sorry for hesitating at all. You helped me, I'll help you now."

He stuck out his hand, and Mark shook it.

Suddenly, both snapped out of their moment and remembered that they had been on the way to the police station.

They continued walking in silence, Mark thinking about the ordeal that lay ahead of him, and Roger thinking the same.

They had definitely not signed up for this.

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**A/N **I'm wondering where I should go with this, because it's getting harder and harder to write these chapters, and I feel like I've completely drifted from the topic I started out with. I'll probably either end it at the next chapter and consider a sequel, or take a long break from this story until I feel particularly inspired. Hopefully I will also have more time to write, considering school is almost out.


	10. Chapter 10

It was more difficult than he ever could have imagined.

Mark was better than he had been, since he hadn't been using for as long.

He could only imagine how difficult it had been for Mark to guide _him_ through withdrawal.

It was with this reminder that he kept going.

After reporting Mimi's incident to the police, they walked home, and Roger had hesitantly told Mimi about Mark.

Although Mimi was proud of Roger for helping his friend, Mimi decided that she couldn't deal with seeing a replay of what she had been through.

She was staying with Maureen and Joanne for the time that Mark was at the loft.

Roger was upset by this, but he didn't say anything as she packed up and left.

After all, Mark was _his_ best friend, and he had asked _him_ for help.

Mark, of course, was undertaking living hell at the moment, so no matter how bad Roger felt for himself, he couldn't help feeling worse for Mark.

From throwing up everything he ate to shivering uncontrollably ever sleepless night, Mark was a constant reminder of everything he had been.

His screaming voice in the dead of night, begging for "just one more" tore Roger's heart apart.

His pleas for everything to end made Roger catch his breath.

And there was the ever present fear that Mark, through a tainted needle, could have contracted what threatened Roger and Mimi's lives.

Until Mark was well enough to go to the hospital, they couldn't get a test done.

So for the past few weeks, they had been living in constant fear.

The worst was yet to come.

Roger comforted Mark as best as he could when he begged for an end, for finality.

But he didn't know how desperately Mark wanted it.

Roger came home from work one day to find Mark holding a bottle of pills, with about twenty in his hand, and a glass of water in front of him.

He looked at the pills in his hand, as if contemplating whether he really wanted to give up yet.

Roger stopped him, but nobody would ever take the incident as seriously as he would, because really, it seemed like everybody he loved ended this way.

April, with the long slits across her wrists, bleeding into the tub, Collins, who shot himself after Angel died, Mimi, with pale, thin scars down her arms, and now Mark.

Each of these people were associated with an image in Roger's mind.

The blood in the bathtub, the finger on the trigger, Mimi on a hospital bed looking weak and helpless.

Now Mark's picture had been set for him.

And if Roger was alive in 30 years, when someone mentioned the name Mark Cohen, Roger would think of Mark at the dining table, staring into his hand.

His camera, his films, his personality, would all be momentarily forgotten.

**A/N **well, there you go. I had to write that one out by hand, so that's why it's kind of a different style than the other ones, also I wrote it while I was sleep-deprived on a flight to India. So I know the style is weird, get over it. At least I gave you something to read…

rapunzel.in.black


End file.
